Flamepaw's Quest

Chapter 12

            For the next two days, the three cats scoured the RiverClan territory, searching every nook and cranny for the missing leader. Disguising their scents by rolling in onion grass, they were able to make their way through the territory without being caught by RiverClan patrols.
            Flamepaw longed to tell her parents she was all right, but she knew if she returned home, Mountainheart would only scold them and punish them for searching for Goldstar. She had already seen two patrols leave the territory, but she had noticed their return shortly afterwards.
            Each time patrols would come by, Rosepettle, Neko, and Flamepaw would hide in bushes and silently escape. It was a hard business sneaking around their clan territory without being noticed by other RiverClan warriors.
            As Flamepaw awoke the third day, she knew they couldn't search RiverClan territory much longer. There had been no word that she had returned after eavesdropping on cats, and it had become obvious Goldstar was not in the territory.
            Flamepaw got up and stretched, digging her claws into damp soil. They had slept near the river, a large rock providing them some shelter. Mostly, it was just to provide shade from the heat of green-leaf.
            The rushing sound of the river calmed Flamepaw, and for a moment, she imagined herself back with Dusktail, learning to catch fish. She had not attempted to catch any prey since that day with the quest and all. Rosepettle had been hunting for them.
            Flamepaw turned her head, noticing Neko and Rosepettle were still curled up asleep. Guessing it was right to do something nice for them, she padded towards the river's edge, careful to make sure no cats were nearby.
            She then crouched by the edge, watching the sun rise in the horizon. Glancing down at the clear water, she looked carefully, hoping a fish would swim by.
            Her eyes begin to droop minutes later, when suddenly, a dark figure came by. She quickly stuck her paw into the water and swooped, unsheathing her sharp claws. She felt them dig into flesh, and she lifted her paw up, bringing up a wriggling fish. Quickly, she killed it, dropping it near the edge.
            She grinned in delight. Her second fish! She hoped Neko and Rosepettle would enjoy it.
            "Flamepaw, is that you?" Rosepettle murmured drowsily.
            Flamepaw turned, grabbing the fish and padding over to the white she-cat.
            "I caught us some breakfast," she whispered.
            "Thank StarClan! I really wasn't in the mood to hunt!" she exclaimed, causing Neko to wake up with a jolt.
            "What happened? Did we find the she-cat?" he asked frantically, glancing around.
            Rosepettle laughed, shoving him with her paw. "Nope, just breakfast."
            Flamepaw noticed how Rosepettle didn't seem to make fun of Neko anymore. In fact, they were almost becoming better friends.
            Neko smiled weakly, glancing at Flamepaw.
            "You caught this?" he asked.
            Flamepaw nodded, secretly wishing he was amazed that she had caught a fish. She liked Neko, and she hoped he'd stay for awhile.
            "I didn't even know you were that far in your training," Rosepettle admitted, taking a bite of fish. With her mouth full, she spoke, "I mean, I didn't catch a fish until my first moon."
            "Really?" Flamepaw asked. "I felt like I was a terrible apprentice since I hadn't caught a fish my first time hunting."
            "You clan cats are over-achievers," Neko muttered, chewing on fish. "I can't catch anything."
            "Maybe a flower," Rosepettle joked.
            Neko glared at her, but it was obvious he wasn't angry.
            Rosepettle laughed, taking another bite of fish. Flamepaw smiled, glad to spend time with the cats. As a kit, she hadn't liked Rosepettle that much since she'd nearly gotten Flamepaw killed, but now, she couldn't imagine life without a friend like Rosepettle.
            "What's the plan today?" Flamepaw asked.
            "We head towards the northern part of the territory and explore there," Rosepettle decided.
            "And if we don't find her?" Neko asked.
            Rosepettle bit her lip and look up nervously. "I'll decide when that happens."
            Flamepaw nodded, taking a bite of the fish. The flavor caused her to hum, and she finished it off as Rosepettle and Neko stretched their limbs and padded around.
            "Why can't you tell your clanmates about this?" Neko asked.
            "I thought we went over this," Rosepettle sighed. "Our deputy didn't want anyone going out to look for the leader until we knew for certain she was missing. If he found out now that we went out, he'd punish us."
            "Won't he just punish you anyway for sneaking away when you get back?" Neko asked.
            "Not if we find Goldstar. Even if he wants to punish us, Goldstar will talk him out of it. She's leader, not him," Rosepettle explained. Flamepaw rolled her eyes. Rosepettle was as stubborn as they could come by.
            "Should we head up the territory then?" Flamepaw asked, approaching the two. She sometimes felt awkward around them, like a third wheel. She was a tiny apprentice while these two cats were the age of warriors, older and more sophisticated than her...or for the most part anyway.
            "Yeah," Rosepettle agreed. "Come on, Neko."
            Flamepaw padded alongside Rosepettle, Neko trotting behind them. He was not exactly in the best shape or used to walking around for days at a time. For Flamepaw, it was a bit of a struggle too. She'd walked nonstop and explored for two full days, this being her third. Her muscles were already sore.
            Rosepettle, however, did not show any signs of weakness. Flamepaw glanced at her, noticing how she held her head up with pride and padded by like she would not stop until Goldstar was found. Flamepaw was glad she had such determination. She wondered what would've happened if she went to find Goldstar all by herself. Needless to say, she'd most likely be fox prey by now.
            "Wait up!" Neko huffed, running to catch up with them. Flamepaw paused, allowing him to catch up, but Rosepettle kept walking.
            "Better keep running!" Rosepettle shouted, picking up her pace.
            Neko was silent but rolled his eyes, now padding along with Flamepaw. She decided to keep him company, and besides, she needed to slow her pace a little too.
            "Your friend is crazy," Neko muttered to Flamepaw.
            "She's just looking for the leader, that's all," Flamepaw explained.
            "Did she draw you into this plan?" Neko asked.
            "No," Flamepaw honestly replied. "This was all my idea."
            "Your idea?!" Neko was shocked. "I thought Rosepettle put this together. It seems like she's leading the quest."
            "Well, I let her. She knows more than me. I'm only an apprentice. But I was the one who was told Goldstar was in danger, and I was about to set off alone to find her when Rosepettle offered to come with me," Flamepaw explained.
            "You can always go back to your kittypet home!" Rosepettle called from up ahead.
            Neko grinned slightly. "We're coming!" he called. Together, she padded with him up a hill, stopping near the top. They were in northern RiverClan territory now, making their way into the foothills towards WindClan territory.
            As they got father away from the river, the wind picked up, and the trees were fading.
            "We really are at the edge of the territory," she muttered.
            "Get down!" Rosepettle shouted quickly.
            Before Flamepaw had time to react, Rosepettle knocked her into a bush. Flamepaw yowled as she fell into it, but she kept quiet, Rosepettle joining her in Neko in the bush a second later.
            "What was that all about?" Flamepaw hissed.
            "Sh, I heard cats," Rosepettle whispered.
            And it was true. Flamepaw could hear footsteps in the distance, as well as the faint sound of voices.
            "I don't understand why Mountainheart won't send more patrols out," a masculine voice came. Flamepaw recognized it as her mentor, Dusktail. "Patrolling the entire border each day is enough. We know Goldstar isn't in RiverClan territory."
            One of the she-cat warriors spoke back now. "Perhaps Goldstar didn't make a wise decision in choosing a deputy. Mountainheart is trying the best he can, but I have to admit, I'm not agreeing with all his choices. Have any of the cats returned?"
            "No," Dusktail responded. "I haven't heard anything. How many cats is that missing? Five?"
            "Yes," the she-warrior agreed. "Mountainheart mentioned that too. He wanted us to keep an eye out. He's furious, all right. All these warriors going off to look for Goldstar. Even that young apprentice went off too."
            "Yes, I know," Dusktail said. Flamepaw could detect sadness in his voice. "She was my apprentice, I her mentor. Come on. This way," he said.
            Flamepaw only heard the sound of her breathing as the footsteps faded away. When they heard nothing but the wind, Rosepettle popped out of the bushes.
            "Close one!" she called.
            Flamepaw came out, pulling leaves and twigs from her ginger pelt. She looked down, sadness come over her.
            "Everything a-okay, Flamepaw?" Neko asked.
            Rosepettle looked up, not even noticing until now that Flamepaw was silent. "Flamepaw?"
            "That was my mentor. He seemed sad I was missing."
            "Please, we can't be sentimental now!" Rosepettle exclaimed. "You're not exiled. We're just searching! Remember what Gingerkit told you?"
            Flamepaw nodded. She had to be strong. She had to follow through with this quest. Goldstar's life was in her hands. She would never be able to forgive herself if something happened to the leader and she could've prevented it.
            Flamepaw shook the thought away, and for the rest of the day, they searched the northern part of the territory, leaving no stone unturned. When dusk came, Rosepettle called them together towards the edge of RiverClan territory.
            "Goldstar is no longer in RiverClan territory," Rosepettle spoke.
            "I think we know that," Flamepaw spoke quietly.
            Rosepettle ignored her. "It was worth a shot, but I knew this was coming. Pack your bags, ladies and gentlemen, because we're leaving RiverClan territory!"
            "Really? Where are we going?" Neko asked.
            "That way!" Rosepettle called, pointing to the tall mountains near Moonstone. "We'll find a place to sleep once we cross over."
            Flamepaw nodded, and in a few short moments, they stepped over the RiverClan boundary, the smell of water and wind, the smell of RiverClan, fading from Flamepaw all too quickly...